A Little About my Yoga Journey

Everyone who has a daily yoga practice has had a journey into yoga. Creating and sustaining a yoga practice is not something that happens overnight. It’s something that evolves over time… here are some highlights from my journey... practicing, studying and teaching yoga.

First, my path in life was to be a teacher.

That desire to teach was always within me. I just didn’t realise that eventually this would lead me to be a yoga teacher. I come to this role after 35 wonderful years in the education sector (in the UK and overseas).

My practice began from yoga books...

The seed of yoga was planted in my youth, since there was yoga practice in my home. However, my personal practice did not start in earnest till my 30s when I began to practice yoga from books. At the time I was living in a corner of the world where there were no yoga teachers, so books were my mainstay. I was particularly inspired by the work of Gary Kraftsow (Yoga for Wellness / Yoga for Transformation) and it turns out he was from the lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya - though at the time that did not have any meaning to me.

Health issues and pain brought me closer to yoga.

Unfortunately, I suffered a back injury which caused immense pain. Alongside medical investigations and physiotherapy treatment, I turned to Mindfulness and Yoga. This process helped me to step out of a deeply ingrained pain cycle, and take control of my health. Eventually I found more comfort and strength in my body once again.

Finally found a yoga teacher.

My journey to yoga deepened when I joined an ashtanga inspired class. I went from practising once a week, to twice a week (guided, in class), and then to practising in between classes as well. I gradually saw improvements in my mobility, strength and flexibility. More importantly I felt the benefit of change in my life.

New habits came into my life... and stuck.

I was inspired by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) vision for reduction in non-communicable disease through lifestyle factors. I started to change my daily habits… by eating more wholesome foods (less processed food), taking more exercise (walking, running, yoga) and paying attention to sleep habits.

Life threw up new challenges... so I leaned into my fear.

Then the Covid era came… It was a terrifying time for us all. I was thousands of miles away from home, and my biggest fear was not seeing family again. During those months of lockdown, I focused on what I could control in my life, that happened to be taking care of my wellness… This came to include a daily yoga practice, which I posted about on Instagram (my way of letting go of my fears… after all in the face of death, why fear public judgement?)

I embraced initial Yoga Teacher Training

Then I took a leap, and decided to do a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Mindful Movement and Vinyasa. Immediately after signing up I panicked... I thought I’d get kicked off the course because I could not do a headstand… of course I was to learn that having a yoga practice is not about being able to do a headstand or any other fancy posture that ties you in knots.

This is when the world of yoga really opened up to me. I learned about the history and philosophy of yoga, as well as the 8 limbs and the pathway according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. This training set up a foundation on which to build.

What another 200 hour course?

And I voraciously went on to complete the very challenging and rigorous Yoga Sports CoachTM qualification (another 200-hour) training, which taught me how to apply key principles for high impact. The course was for athletes, though I always had the movement needs of the everyday person in mind, which was the real reason I joined the course.

Svastha Yoga - finding balance

Then in 2022 I had the good fortune to embark on join the Svastha Yoga Therapy Programme with Ganesh Mohan and his family. This turned in to an 800 hour training process that still ongoing, and includes monthly mentoring.

As well as the yoga therapy programme with Ganesh, I have been able to attend face to face training with Nitya Mohan and 10-day study retreats with A.G.Mohan and Indra Mohan in India. I am deeply grateful for their teaching which has enriched my practice... which in turn enriches what I can share with others.

Julie Geissler (Dec 2025)

Yoga Classes Designed with You in Mind

1-2-1 Beginner's Programme

1-2-1 Personalised Svastha Yoga

Where to find me